Every Word a Barrier
by veebeejustte
Summary: Just a cute little idea for a one-shot that I came up with at like three this morning... No couples, just brotherly fluff between the boys. Flames welcome, as always. SUBMISSION FOR PHINABELLA16'S CONTEST!


**EDIT: Yeah, so like I said, it's revised, and I'm planning on using it for Phinabella16's contest. I just added a couple more details, explained a little more, stuff like that. If there are still typos, let me know, so I can properly slap myself in the face.**

"You're not... What?" Isabella gasped.

"I'm not talking to him," Phineas repeated, with a regretful sigh that he immediately extinguished. He scowled, though the expression was quite unfamiliar to him.

"That... That... That is horrible!" Baljeet cried in distress. "Do you not know what this means?!"

"No," Phineas glared, "no, I don't!"

"We cannot build anything without him!" Baljeet agonized, his whole body shaking. "This is worse than the day we made a quilt!"

"Actually," Buford remarked, "I kinda liked the quilt."

"Phineas, what's wrong? How did this happen?" Isabella attempted to place her hand on his shoulder, but Phineas shrugged it off.

Phineas glanced up at Isabella. Her face expressed genuine worry and concern for him, causing a twinge of guilt to burn in the back of his mind. Biting his lip, he looked down at the ground and muttered, "Why don't you ask him?" With that, he stood up and walked away, disappearing inside his house.

Inside, he was greeted by Mrs. Flynn-Fletcher, who looked up from the dishes she was washing to see Phineas' contorted expression. Raising an eyebrow, she ventured a question: "Phineas, what's wrong? You're looking a little down."

Scratching his ear, Phineas responded, "It's nothing. Just a bit, uh, tired, I guess."

Linda smirked. "Phineas, you're lying. What's actually wrong?"

Phineas immediately realized that he wouldn't get out of the conversation too easily. Silently cursing himself for being such a horrendous liar, he sat at the kitchen table. After a moment, he asked, "Have you ever really, really trusted someone? Like, knew one person even better than they did? And then," he sighed, "you slipped up just one time, and said something about them that seriously bugged you? You know, insulted them. And then, they just turned their back on you, like all those other things didn't matter?"

He wiped a tear from his eye. "All the good times, all the times you said that they were the best thing that ever happened to you, or all the cool things I did with Fer- I mean, this person, and they just walked away... Because I messed up, just this once... And I wish I could undo it, but I just can't, and I'm too scared to talk to him, and... And... I'm sorry I did it." His voice cracked at the end of his ramble.

Linda abandoned her still-wet dishes, and walked over to her guilt-ridden son. She sat next to him, and smiled. "Phineas, does this have have anything to do with Ferb's staying in bed this morning?"

Phineas' stomach was suddenly feeling a little fluttery. Shutting his eyes tightly, he mumbled, "Yes..." Then after pausing a moment, assured, "Yes, it does..."

"Phineas, I think you owe someone an apology," Linda said thoughtfully.

"Do you think he'll listen?" Phineas asked hopefully.

"He's your brother; he can't stay away for too long, even if he wants to." Linda paused for a second, and added, "Though, I'm a bit surprised that you did this in the first place. It really isn't like you, Phineas."

Phineas managed a smile amidst his tears, "Yeah, it's a long story. Thanks for talking, Mom; that really helped. I think I'm gonna go see him now." So, wiping stray tears from his eyes, he left the table and walked to his room.

Hesitantly, Phineas knocked on the door.

After a moment, the door creaked opened, revealing the enraged Ferb for a moment before the door slammed shut again.

"Ferb," Phineas called, "will you please open the door?"

Silence.

"Ferb, I'm sorry, okay? I, um... I didn't mean what I said!" He scratched his ear.

Phineas could tell that Ferb was rolling his eyes, even through the door.

"Okay, fine. What I mean is- Is that... Look, just because you aren't perfect, doesn't mean I have any right to say something like that. I mean, I'm not perfect, either. No one is. I shouldn't have said that, and I feel really bad about it. I bet there are things that you hate about me, but you're nice enough not to just go around saying them. I really just wanna take that back, but I can't. So, would you please let me in?"

The door opened again, but this time, it stayed open long enough for Phineas to walk inside. Both sat on their respective beds, facing each other, but looking at the ground.

"I'm a jerk," Phineas spoke, his voice full of regret. "Sorry."

Both glanced up at each other, and each noticed the other's bloodshot eyes.

Ferb walked over to his brother's bed, and sat down next to him. He put a hand on Phineas' shoulder.

Phineas got what Ferb meant right away. "I- I know, Ferb. The word 'sorry' does kinda lose weight after a while. I wish there was a better word to say there..."

Ferb smiled; another gesture that Phineas read right away.

"Yeah, yeah. I get it. Ya know, most people aren't as good as you are at communicating without actually talking."

Ferb raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Yes, yes I do know that's what I criticized earlier. I was just a little... Agitated, I guess."

Ferb furrowed his eyebrows.

"Hey, even I get annoyed sometimes! Need I remind you of Summer Solstice?"

Ferb snorted, obviously trying not to laugh.

"Anyway, you can slap me for being an idiot now."

Ferb opened his mouth, and finally spoke, "Really?" His tone seemed to convey incredulity, as well as somewhat of a teasing, nagging desire to actually do so.

"Yup."

"Well, alright then."

Phineas could tell he was up to something. Ferb didn't just talk like that unless there was an ulterior motive there. Had he built some sort of Punch-Phineas'-Big-Nose-Inator? Or was he going to punch his lights out with some sort of Super-Strength-Slap-In-The-Face machine? Either way, Ferb was definitely ready to totally ruin his life in ways one couldn't even imagine, Phineas was sure of that.

Ferb raised his hand back, giving a mischievous smirk. Phineas flinched, ready for the worst.

When Phineas felt Ferb's arms around him, his first thought was, 'okay, he's gonna strangle me...' It took a moment or two for Ferb's intentions to register. And when they did, he was even more confused.

Ferb was giving Phineas a hug.

"Huh?" Phineas questioned. This made no sense. Ferb was supposed to be mad at him. He was supposed to be beating him up.

But Ferb was smiling kindly, and pulled him close again as he quietly explained. "Phineas, you definitely get on my nerves sometimes, I'll admit that. But trust me, it is physically impossible to hold a grudge against you. Believe me, I'm not the only one who's tried."

"Really?" Phineas wondered.

Ferb drew back and replied, "Yeah, really." He turned toward the window, and saw their friends lazily gazing up at him, asking the ultimate question with their eyes.

Phineas asked, "Are they still out there?"

Ferb nodded.

"Well, we better get going then, before they leave. I know what we're going to do today!"

Ferb turned to the window and gave them a thumb's up.

Phineas and Ferb were back in business.

**A/N: So there. Just a little story, like I said. Uh, I have an idea on how to expand it, but it's kinda stretching the whole idea... Well, if ya like it, I might post more, but if not... Well, I like it fine just the way it is...**


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